Heater for zinc-reducing furnaces.



G. ROITZHEIM. HEATER FOR 211w REDUCING FURNACES.

APPLIOATIOB FILED JAN. 19, 1912.

Patented Sept. 10, 1912.

CARL R OITZHEIM, OF GOLGGNE, GERMANY.

HEATER FOR ZINC-REDUCING FURNACES.

Application filed January 19, 1912. Serial No. 672,224.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Pa'tentcd Sept. 10,1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL Rorrznnmr, a subject of the German Emperor, and resident of 23 Am Bayenturm, Cologneon-the- Rhine, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heaters for Zinc-Reducing Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to an arrangement for heating the charge to be reduced in mui'tles or the furnace chamber of a zinc reducing furnace. Arrangements of this kind are already known but they have the disadvantage, that owing to the large sectional area of the heater and the bad heat conducting capacity of the charge, the heating of the latter required a long time. The outermost particles which are directly exposed to the heat very soon assume the temperature of the heater, while the core of the charge remains cold. for hours.

It is very desirable in practice to reduce the healing period if the process of reduction is to be a continuous one. If the heating proceeds slowly this will, however, require a large capacity and therefor o a large volume of the heater.

These diliiculties are obviated by the present invention, by the charge being conducted through cavities or tubes and thereby quickly and thoroughly heated.

In the accompanying drawings the present invention is exemplified in a constrnctional. form. Figures 1 and 2 showing the heater in longitudinal and cross section respectively. Figs. 3 and 4 show another constructional form. Fig. 5 is the heater in combination with a vertical mullle.

The heater (1 has cavities or tubes 5 of small sectional areas adapted to receive the charge. In consequence of the large con tact surface and the small sectional area of the tubes the charge is quickly and com pletely heated and the heating gases are better utilized. From this heater the charge passes into the muflle 0 beneath it. The zinc vapors are condensed in the receiver d, while the residues in the mulile are removed con tinuously or intermittently at e. The charge sinks gradually in the mul lle and the dimensions must be so chosen, that the ore residues reaching the bottom are practically free of Zinc. For insuring the constant sinking of the charge from the heater a cor- IQSI'POIlCllllg fresh quantity is filled into the same. hen the zinc ore is reduced in hearth furnaces the operation is similar to that described. 1

The furnace f incloses the free heating charging device a, which is disposed substantially wholly outside the reduction chamber 0, and thus the charging device a, is subjected to the heat of the furnace so that the charge going through the charging passages I), will be heated to a high tempera-- ture prior to its entrance to the reduction chan'lber c.

I claim: 7

A. metal. reduction furnace comprising a furnace chamber and a reduction chamber, a charging device disposed within the furnace chamber and substantially wholly outside the reduction chamber and comprising a plurality of charging passages of relatively reduced cross-section with respect to their length and arranged to deliver to said reduction chamber, said charging device being subjected to the heat of the furnace whereby the charge is heated prior to its entrance into said chamber, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 9th day of Januar y,. 191.2, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CARL ROI'IZHEIM.

Witnesses:

Jonmnn Sonnonnn, Hans Konnn. 

